


After

by hashtagsalads



Category: Sense8 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fix-It, Ganesha, Heavy Angst, Supernatural Elements, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-05-19 16:26:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14877297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hashtagsalads/pseuds/hashtagsalads
Summary: Kala marries Rajan in spite of everything telling her not to. Wolfgang grows distant until tensions boil over and it becomes too much for either of them to bear. Kala begs Ganesha for a solution, and gets much more than she bargained for.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was just something I daydreamed up on a plane ride. I wanted to write it before the finale, and I managed to finish (albeit in the 11th hour lol) I just enjoy the angst that comes along with shipping these two, but I still hope that they get their happy ending! I guess we'll see soon. :)
> 
> This is obviously a huge divergence from what actually happens in the show, but the imagery was just so strong in my head that I wanted to put it down! Enjoy!
> 
> Edit: I intended this to be a oneshot, but added another chapter and changed it to a sort of fix-it! Tags have been updated to reflect the change in the story!

After her wedding, Wolfgang simply vanished. Well, as much as he could, given their strange, otherworldly connection.

Where before she could whisper his name into the night and he would appear, now he seemed to be trying his hardest to merely lurk at the edge of her consciousness at best. Kala couldn’t tell if he lingered because he wanted to, or because he had no other choice.

She could often see him in the periphery of her vision, dancing just on the edge, never quite in view. Every time she looked, he was gone before she could catch him. That was most certainly a personal choice on his part. The multitude of emotions he felt would wash over her each time, the most prominent of which was regret. Though what he regretted exactly, she couldn’t say. Perhaps it was that he hadn’t stopped her from marrying Rajan. Perhaps it was that she hadn’t stopped herself.

_What the fuck are you doing? You’re not in love with him._

Those words still cut through her like a knife, hot, searing, and painful with how right they were then. And how right they still were now.

Kala tried hard to be the good and dutiful wife her husband deserved. Even while working, she cooked meals and kept the house in order, entertained his business colleagues and showed up at every social event. But none of that seemed to matter to him, because he didn’t desire anything from her other than the one thing she couldn’t give him: love.

Well, that, and children. Although that probably had more to do with their families’ desires than his. The thing he probably wanted most of all was for them to finally consummate their marriage, conception or no.

When Kala would talk about it with her husband, Wolfgang bristled at even the mention of her and Rajan having sex, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. It was often the most reaction she could get out of him, and so she’d prolong the discussion just so she could feel his presence more closely, if only for a little while. Sometimes she could even feel his hands protectively wrapping around her shoulders, almost as though he was trying to claim her as his own. But then she would lean into him without thinking, he would notice, and it would be over just like that, the warmth of his presence slipping from her once more.

Of course, she felt extremely guilty about the whole situation, and for a time she decided to ignore Wolfgang as much as he had been trying to avoid her. After all, if she wanted her marriage to work, she couldn’t allow herself to pine after a man who wasn’t her husband.

It seemed to work in the beginning. His visits became more infrequent. Kala felt him less and less, and even though it pained her, she knew it was for the best. She’d made her choice, and now it was up to her to make the best of it. Even if that meant she could no longer see Wolfgang.

Still, she couldn’t keep her thoughts far from him, especially when she decided to fully realize her marriage for the first time.

Kala tried very hard to focus on her husband, willing herself to become turned on by the way he touched and kissed her. However, she came up dry, and, not wanting the experience to be painful, she allowed her thoughts to drift to Wolfgang. Instantly, her mood shifted and her whole body felt electric. Her breathing quickened and there was a heat that developed within her which she only experienced when she connected to him.

When Rajan whispered, ‘You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do this,’ it wasn’t his voice, but Wolfgang’s she’d heard instead. Kala had to bite her lip to keep from moaning his name, and closed her eyes, allowing herself to picture his face. Even though she was flooded with guilt, she knew it was the only way she’d be able to go through with this.

Rajan buried his face in her neck, lining himself up to penetrate her, and when he sighed her name, it was once again Wolfgang’s voice that slid into her ear, like a hot breath, making her skin prickle and her spine tingle. It felt marvelous, almost as though he were really in the room with her, and that’s when she realized.

Kala’s eyes snapped open, and for the first time in ages, she saw him.

Wolfgang stood in the corner, his form shrouded in darkness, and when their eyes locked all of his emotions hit her like a ton of bricks. Grief, jealousy, and most potently rage flooded her frame, and without meaning to he’d possessed her, his strength flowing through her as he used her body to push Rajan off of her with a resounding ‘No!’

Her husband had flown backwards, nearly falling off the bed, and Kala recoiled in horror at what she—no Wolfgang, not her at all, definitely not—had done. It had been all too much, and the feelings that she and Wolfgang had been suppressing for these past months overwhelmed her. Tears poured from her eyes as she’d curled into a ball on the bed, unwilling to face Rajan or the man she loved.

It seemed he couldn’t face her either, as Wolfgang disappeared a moment later, when Rajan came to comfort her. To his credit, Rajan didn’t blame her, only himself for pushing her too far. His kindness made her cry all the more, and Kala could barely look at him for nearly a week afterwards for fear that she’d burst into tears just by the sight of him.

_Crying won’t help you._

Sun’s words haunted her. Kala wished she could be more like the Korean woman: strong, determined, fearless. But she was weak, destined to stay trapped in a marriage she didn’t want—had never wanted, if she was honest—instead of being with the man she really loved. Unlike Sun, she didn’t feel as though she could fight for it, for him, not without hurting too many people in the process.

Sun would visit sometimes, and silently offer comfort in the form of a hand on Kala’s shoulder or her back. Neither of them needed to speak to know what the other was thinking. Words would offer little else to her, and she appreciated Sun’s presence for what it was.

All she could really do was pray to Ganesha for guidance, though Kala had no idea if he was even listening. So far, he had been silent, not showing her which way to go, or what the right decision was. One such time, she found herself alone in the temple. Mostly alone. She sucked in a harsh breath as she suddenly felt Wolfgang kneeling beside her.

The energy between them crackled as she used all her strength to keep her hands in her lap instead of reaching out for him. Her pain of having missed him for so long was amplified as he allowed his similar feelings to mingle with hers. So too was her longing for him increased as Kala felt Wolfgang’s desire for her wash over them. The things he was feeling were most inappropriate for such a sacred space, but the intensity of their emotions drowned out her sense of propriety. This was the first time in months that he’d shared so openly with her, and she wanted to languish in it for as long as she could before he inevitably pulled himself away again.

“Kala,” Wolfgang finally said, his voice soft and smooth, just as she had remembered it.

“Wolfgang,” she replied, her own voice thick with emotion, revealing her barely held back tears.

It seemed nothing else needed to be said. Through their shared connection, Wolfgang could feel what she wanted, and responded by pulling her to him, twisting her so he could kiss her. Their lips crashed together, and while she knew she should resist for the sake of Rajan and her marriage—not to mention Ganesha was watching them both—Kala couldn’t bring herself to pull away at first. It felt so good to be held by him, to be kissed by him. His strength filled her, making her feel stable and steady, like she could finally breathe again.

Their kisses became more desperate as his hands tangled in her hair, almost as though he were trying to consume her entirely. Kala matched his energy, knowing in her heart that whatever was happening now was only temporary, no matter how much she wished it wasn’t. It was only when he laid her down and crawled on top of her that she finally had to put a stop to the only thing that had made her feel good in a long time.

Pushing her hands against the solid muscle of his chest, she broke their kiss, saying breathlessly, “Please, we must stop—”

Wolfgang’s brows knit together in frustration as he said, “Why? Because you’re married to a man you don’t love? Or because your god is watching us?”

He sat back on his heels, a scowl on his face, as she sat up and straightened her sundress, her own voice with an angry edge saying, “How dare you? The love I have for Rajan is just as real as Ganesha is.”

“So not real at all?” Wolfgang shot back, a cruel smirk forming on his face.

Kala gasped and she could feel his guilt at the jab, but he didn’t apologize and she said, “That was low, even for a criminal like you.” It was just as spiteful as what he’d said, and she, too, regretted her words instantly, but knew she couldn’t take them back.

Wolfgang hung his head in resignation before looking at her again and saying, “So this is how it’s going to be, huh? A lifetime of unhappiness for us both. Just tastes of what we both know we want, and never anything more?”

Tears sprang to her eyes at the thought of spending her entire life this way, but Kala couldn’t see a path that could bring them both together. Her mouth fell open, but no words would come out.

When she didn’t say anything, he sighed and said, “Have a nice life, Mrs. Rasal.” Then he was gone.

Kala’s heart broke, and all she could do was sit on the floor of the temple, sobbing into her hands. Ganesha watched her silently. It seemed he had no answers for her either.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to add a follow-up chapter to all that angst! MyraRiver suggested I write in a happier ending, and while I liked where I left it, I got inspired when I thought about how I would accomplish that. I decided to throw in a little supernatural element as well, and this transformed from an angsty oneshot into a fix-it! Whoops! Oh well.
> 
> Hopefully you all enjoy and it's not too cheesy or anything! :)
> 
> To add a quick disclaimer, I'm not against poly relationships by any means. I respect the direction that Lana decided to take the story, but I 100% don't agree with that when you consider Kala's characterization. She made it clear that she didn't love Rajan many times in the show, and then to suddenly change it up at the last minute didn't really sit well with me. If she'd been torn between Wolfgang and Rajan and loved them equally it would have made more sense, but it was obvious she loved Wolfgang more and would probably have chosen him in the end. At least, that's my personal opinion.

Kala turned her tear-stained face up to Ganesha and cried out, “Why didn’t you stop me from marrying him? I never should have waited for you to intervene! I should have just listened to my heart. I just want to go back in time and undo all of this.”

Suddenly, the statue’s eyes flashed. Kala thought perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her, but then the eyes started to glow and the ground started to rumble. Fear gripped her heart, as she knew now that she’d angered Ganesha with her blasphemous words. She had no idea how he would choose to punish her, and she immediately got on her knees and bowed to beg for forgiveness.

“Please, Ganesha, I didn’t mean to question your ways,” Kala begged, her hands clasped together, “Spare me and I promise I’ll...I’ll...” Her head started to spin, the edges of her vision going black. Was this really the end? Her last thought before she blacked out was that she would never see Wolfgang again, and that she regretted wasting so much time with Rajan when she knew who she really loved.

 

~~~

 

Some time later, she felt hands on her shoulders, shaking her awake. “Are you all right, miss?!” a familiar voice from above her asked, his tone concerned, then added, “Someone call an ambulance!”

Kala’s eyes fluttered open. She was still in the temple, though now she was lying on her back staring straight up at the ceiling. How much time had passed since she’d fallen unconscious?

She didn’t have long to wonder, because a moment later the face of Guru Yash appeared above her, saying, “Thank Ganesha you are awake!”

“Get away from me!” Kala cried out, pushing him back as she sat up. Hadn’t she told him to leave her alone? What was he doing here now?

“I’m sorry if I startled you, miss, but please, let me help you,” Yash said, trying to move closer to her.

“No! There’s nothing you can do to help me!” Kala shouted, jumping to her feet in spite of her dizziness, adding, “I told you to stay away from me and I meant it!”

The Guru tilted his head to the side, his brows coming together in confusion, “Forgive me, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kala only shook her head, her frustration growing, “Don’t play dumb with me!”

“I think I would remember a conversation like that. Did you hit your head, miss? You really should let me take a look at you,” Yash said, standing and trying to approach her once more.

“No!” Kala yelled, turning and running out of the temple past the crowd of people who’d gathered to watch the spectacle. She couldn’t believe the audacity of that man to pretend like he had no recollection of what had transpired a few months ago. He had organized an assassination attempt and used her as bait to lure Manendra to the temple! Of course she wanted him to stay away from her! And yet here he was, acting as though nothing had even happened. The absolute nerve.

Kala hurried away from the temple in the direction of the home she and Rajan shared in the city. Yet when she finally reached the building, the doorman refused her entry, saying he didn’t recognize her. She fished around in her bag for her keys and her ID to prove that she lived here, only to find that they were missing, along with her wedding ring. Of course, she’d been robbed when she’d blacked out at the temple, though she wondered why the thief had left behind her engagement ring. Perhaps he’d been interrupted before he could finish taking her valuables? She didn’t know for sure. The only thing she did know was that this was quickly becoming one of the worst and most confusing days of her life.

At this point all she could think to do was go to her family’s home. Perhaps they could help her get in touch with the police so that she could recover her things.

When she arrived, her mother greeted her warmly, saying, “Back from the temple already? I expected you to be there longer. But I’m glad you’re here now, because you can help me with dinner.”

“Mama, what are you talking about?” Kala asked, her confusion growing. How could she be back from the temple when she’d never left here in the first place?

“Dinner! We’re having Rajan over? Don’t you remember?” her mother asked, not bothering to look at Kala as she bustled around the kitchen. As it happened, Kala did not remember. They were having Rajan over? But she and Rajan lived together, so wouldn’t her family have invited them both over? Her head was starting to spin as she tried to make sense of a reality that was slowly unraveling before her.

When she didn’t answer Priya finally turned to her and seemed to realize something was the matter. “Are you all right, my dear? You look unwell. Do you have a fever?”

“I think I need to lie down,” Kala said, her stomach turning over as she started to shake. Robotically, she walked to her old room, expecting it to be mostly empty. Yet when she walked in, there were clothes strewn about, and all her personal affects were still there as though she’d never moved out. She sat on the edge of the bed, her mind still reeling, and finally caught sight of herself in the mirror. The clothes she had on were not the ones she remembered picking out this morning. In fact, her outfit was one she hadn’t seen since Rajan had insisted on buying her a totally new wardrobe after they’d wed.

It finally dawned on Kala that she was not where she thought she was. Or rather, she was not _when_ she thought she was. She desperately fished her phone out of her bag, unlocking the screen to check the date. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized that she had been sent back in time to before she’d married Rajan.

But no. That wasn’t possible. Clearly she was still dreaming. What she needed to do was wake herself up.

Kala tried several rounds of pinching her arms and slapping herself in the face. Unfortunately, the only thing that accomplished were several sore spots on her body. The only other thing she could think to do was try jumping out her window. She’d read that falling in a dream usually woke someone up when they were about to hit the ground.

She’d just opened it up and was about to hook her leg over the sill when a knock at the door interrupted her. Kala spun around quickly, trying to look innocent as her sister, Daya, poked her head inside and said, “Kala, can I come in? Mama said you weren’t feeling well so I came to check on you.”

If anyone could help her, it was Daya. “Please, come in!” Kala called, rushing away from the window and sitting on the edge of her bed.

“What were you doing just now?” her sister asked suspiciously with one brow raised.

“Just...trying to get some air,” Kala said, knowing it was a flimsy explanation.

Daya didn’t seem to believe her, but didn’t press her either, and instead changed the subject, saying, “So, why are you pretending to be sick? Are you nervous about seeing Rajan?”

“Yes, very nervous,” Kala said, deciding to test the waters a bit to see if she really had lost her mind, “After all, he’s my fiance. I can’t help but get butterflies at the thought of him.”

“I know! He’s so handsome and charming! You’re unbelievably lucky, Kala. I can’t wait until the wedding,” her sister gushed excitedly, confirming Kala’s fears. Somehow, she’d been sent to the past. She didn’t know if it was through magic, or some other supernatural force, but she had a feeling she was stuck here for good.

“Daya, could you do me a favor?” Kala asked, wanting to be completely sure that this was real.

“What is it?” Daya asked, still smiling.

“I want you to slap me,” Kala said. She knew she’d tried it herself, but perhaps another person was what she needed to wake her up.

“I can’t do that!” her sister exclaimed, scandalized that Kala would even suggest such a thing.

“Please. Don’t ask why. I just need you to do this for me,” Kala begged, grabbing Daya’s hands, “I promise, I won’t ever ask you to do something like this again.”

She looked unsure for a moment, before sighing and giving in, saying, “Okay. But I’m not going to do it hard, all right?”

“That’s fine. Just do it quick, okay?” Kala said, sitting back and turning her cheek to Daya. She nodded, and Kala closed her eyes to brace herself for the impact. It was fast, and left her face stinging, but nothing else happened.

“Happy now?” Daya asked, then added, “If that’s all, I’m going to go back downstairs and help Mom out in the kitchen. I promise I won’t tell her how strange you’re acting.”

“Thank you. I’ll be down in a little while,” Kala said, her hand cradling her face.

It was only when she was alone that a voice behind her said, “God, that hurt. Why did you make her hit you?”

Wolfgang. She turned to see him rubbing his own cheek, clearly feeling the sting through their connection.

Without thinking, she launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face into his chest. He was startled, but embraced her back, asking, “Happy to see me, eh? I thought I was a dangerous pervert demon.”

“You’re not,” Kala said emphatically, “You’re the man I love.” With that, she kissed him, refusing to waste anymore of her time. She’d made that mistake once, and wouldn’t do it again now that she’d been given a second chance.

Wolfgang kissed her back, his hands buried in her hair, before he pulled back and said, “What about your fiance?”

“What about him?” Kala challenged, “I’m tired of living my life the way other people want me to. I’m going to do something that I want for once. I’m coming to Berlin.”

“No!” Wolfgang exclaimed, “It’s too dangerous for you here.”

“Then where? I want to be with you Wolfgang. I don’t care what city, as long as we’re together,” Kala said, holding onto the front of his shirt.

“Are you sure about this, Kala? What about your family?” Wolfgang asked, cradling her face.

“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” Kala replied, adding, “My family will forgive me eventually.”

“If this is what you really want, then let’s meet in Paris,” Wolfgang said, a slow smile spreading on his face, “Let’s fly there tonight. I’ll go right now.”

“Yes! I can’t wait! I’ll find you in the airport!” she said excitedly, kissing him once more before digging in her closet to get out her suitcase. She shoved as many things as she could fit inside of it and zipped it up, heading out her bedroom door.

It was only when she put her hand on the knob that she realized she still wore her engagement ring. For a moment she hesitated, wondering if she really was doing the right thing. But then she remembered how she’d felt when she thought she was going to die, and knew without a doubt that this was what she should have done all along.

Kala quickly slipped the ring off her finger and set it on her nightstand, alongside a note that simply said, ‘I’m sorry.’ She thought she should offer more explanation, but there weren’t any words she could write that would lessen the hurt on her family’s or Rajan’s part.

And with that, she left, slipping out the back door of her family’s house and hopping into the nearest taxi, instructing the driver to take her to the airport. They made one stop on the way, and that was to Ganesha’s temple, so that she could say a proper thank you before she left India for what could very likely be forever.

Once she reached the ticket stand, anxiety bubbled up within her again, but she fought the feeling, knowing it would all disappear once she was in Wolfgang’s arms. She tried to focus on that for the entire flight, imagining how it would feel to finally touch him for real.

As soon as the plane landed, she was off like a shot, heading straight for baggage claim where she hoped she’d find him waiting. It had occurred to her on the plane that her flight would be significantly longer than his, so she hoped he’d had the presence of mind to factor that in and hadn’t been sitting in the airport for hours.

The closer she got, the more she could feel his presence through the invisible thread that connected them both. She was practically jogging by the time she reached the baggage claim, frantically looking around to see if she could spot him.

“Over here,” Wolfgang’s voice whispered in her ear above the crowd.

She turned and spotted him staring at her from a chair across the room. Kala ran to him and flung herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his hips. He caught her deftly, laughing as he kissed her. It was surreal to be able to actually feel him as well as feel what he felt, but all the added dimensions of intimacy only made her feel closer to him.

When they were finally done kissing, he set her down on the ground, leaning his forehead against hers. “What made you change your mind?” Wolfgang asked her, the grin on his face never faltering.

“I just thought about what the future would look like if I continued on that path, and I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted. I’d rather a bit of temporary unhappiness for my family than a lifetime of unhappiness for myself. I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want to make the mistake of marrying someone I don’t love just because it’s what other people want for me,” Kala told him, doing her best to skirt around what had actually happened to her. She would tell him the real truth sometime, but not right now. Right now, she wanted to focus on their happiness.

“It’s not selfish, Kala. It would be more selfish to marry Rajan and doom him to a lifetime with a woman who was never truly his. Now he can move on and find someone who really loves him. And we can move forward together,” Wolfgang said, giving her a tight squeeze, then pulling back and grasping her hand, “Now, let’s get out of here. I’ve got a hotel room with our names on it, and I don’t intend for us to leave the bed until the end of the week.”

Kala giggled and followed him out of the airport. She could feel the rest of their cluster surrounding them with love and hope, and for the first time in a long time, she finally felt at peace.


End file.
